The Thanksgiving Bet
by g0shawk
Summary: Shassie slash preslash.  You'll just have to read it to see what the bet is :P
1. The Bet

**Warnings: This is a SHASSIE, meaning Shawn/Lassiter slash preslash.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Psych, etc. But you already knew that.**

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**10:27 a.m.**

"I think I'm gay."

"What?" Gus stared at Shawn, shocked, and then relaxed again. "What are you talking about, Shawn? You've been obsessed with women ever since Judy Walker kissed you in the fifth grade! Besides, I think I would know if my best friend was gay."

Shawn bit his lip uneasily. "I know it sounds weird, but come on, think about it! I've never actually had a real relationship with anyone…well, except for with you, of course." He grinned at the look on Gus's face. "Oh Gus, don't be such a jelly bean, you know what I mean! Hey, that rhymed!"

"Humph!"

Shawn turned serious again, causing Gus to get nervous. "Maybe I'm bi then. Whatever. One-night-stands don't count as love. I've always gone out with women because, well, that's what you're supposed to do. I never really questioned it before."

"Shawn…" Gus observed his friend carefully.

"Yeah?"

"Um…why are you telling me this? I mean…why did you even start thinking about this in the first place?"

Shawn blushed.

Gus had to put a hand to his jaw to keep it from dropping. _Oh my gosh! I don't think I've ever seen him blush before. He's always so in control. Why---_

"I uh… I kinda have a crush on someone…" The blush deepened.

"You WHAT?" Gus gasped.

"That's why I started wondering about my sexuality. I didn't realize that I liked him, right away. I mean…I must have subconsciously realized it, of course, but…I guess I always believed I just really liked annoying him. Then I started to actually think about it. Why is it always him, you know? Why not you or Jules, or the chief? Why do I always want to get a reaction from HIM?"

Gus turned pale as he realized whom Shawn must have been alluding to. "Shawn, please tell me you are not talking about who I think you are talking about. Tell me you do NOT have a crush on…Lassiter." _Please, please, plea--- Oh no._

Shawn didn't even have to say anything. As his cheeks turned red again, the answer was written all over his face.

"No way Shawn! This is not happening! First you tell me you're gay, then you tell me you like LASSITER of all people! Are you TRYING to send me to therapy? If you are, it's working!" Gus paused, breathing heavily.

Shawn crossed his arms, and turned to face the window. Gus had to step closer to hear him as he mumbled, "Look man, you're the best friend a guy could ever ask for. I needed someone to tell…I don't have anyone else. I thought maybe you would support me…" He shook his head angrily as a tear dripped down his cheek. Stunned, Gus reached out his hand and wiped the tear away. Sighing, he said softly, "I'm sorry…I didn't realize…I wasn't expecting this. You're really gay?"

Shawn nodded, avoiding Gus's eyes.

"Okay."

"Okay? Confused, Shawn finally turned to face his friend.

"Shawn, I've known you for most of my life. I'm not going to back out on you now. You can count on me." Gus nearly fell backwards as Shawn slammed into him, enveloping him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thanks, man." Shawn grinned as he released Gus, who was gasping for air. Back to his old self, he bounced around the Psych office happily, looking for something to do.

Still wheezing, Gus managed to remark, " You do know that if this goes badly, we are going to have to leave Santa Barbara."

"What, why?" Shawn gaped at Gus, perplexed.

"Lassiter, Shawn! Lassiter! If he finds out you like him…"

Shawn smirked. "Oh he'll find out all right."

"WHAT???"

Laughing at Gus, Shawn rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Now that I know for sure how I feel about him…I want him to know, too."

"Shawn, you are insane! Lassiter is not gay! He's married, remember?"

"Separated, dude, separated!"

"Shawn!" A look of irritation crossed Gus's face.

Shawn rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, he's not gay. But…I didn't think _I_ was either. Besides, you can't help who you fall in love with. You don't decide to love someone, it just happens."

Gus put a hand on Shawn's shoulder. "You may be in love with Lassiter, Shawn, but nothing will ever come of it. Let it go. It's useless pursuing someone who isn't interested in you and never will be. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but if you intend to go ahead with this, you are just setting yourself up to get hurt. I don't want to see that happen."

"Man, you are such a pessimist! So…you think I can't persuade Lassy to like me back?" A cunning glint entered Shawn's eyes.

Gus flinched. _Uh-oh._

"Tell you what. I'll make you a bet."

_This is not good._ "What kind of bet?"

Shawn smirked. "I bet I can get Lassy to kiss me by midnight tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, Shawn."

The fake-psychic grinned cheekily. "Even better."

"Fine. I'll take the bet, but only because there is no way in Hell he is ever going to kiss you. Oh, and you kissing him doesn't count; he has to be the one to kiss you." Gus grimaced at his own words.

Shawn looked at his friend innocently. "Can I still kiss him, though? I mean, as a method of persuasion that one generally works pretty well."

"Ewww, Shawn. I don't even want to think about that. Plus, he is SO going to kill you if you do."

"Is that a yes?"

"…I suppose." _Moving on… _"What do I get when you lose?"

"_When_?" Shawn wagged his finger in front of Gus's nose. "Don't you mean _if_?"

Gus responded by pointing his finger in Shawn's face. "No, I definitely mean _when_."

"Hmmm… how about _if _I lose, I won't bother you at work for a week?"

"Make it a month."

"Fine, but if I win…"

Gus snorted, "Like that's going to happen."

"If I _win_, you have to buy me a pineapple smoothie every day for a month." Shawn eyes misted over as images of pineapples drifted across his mind.

Gus shook Shawn's hand. "Deal!"

Shawn broke the friendly grip and rushed towards the door. "See ya!"

"What? Where are you going?"

"Well I've got to start now. I don't have much time, you know."

Gus watched as his friend shut the door and drove away on his motorcycle. _This is going to be interesting..._

**Author's note: I will be adding new chapters randomly. I don't know how many chapters there will be. This is just a quick story I decided to write because it's Thanksgiving. :) I don't have anything planned at all, so I honestly have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next. :P Guess we'll see. Review if you like it so far and want to see more! The number of chapters I'll write will depend on how many reviews I get! (And how much time I have).**

**-g0**


	2. Complications

**11:00 a.m. (still the day before Thanksgiving)**

Carlton groaned inwardly as he shuffled through the mounds of paperwork covering his desk. He had just finished closing up a big case, and, unfortunately, since there were no new cases in sight, he had no excuses for avoiding the work. Sighing, he organized the papers into separate piles, delaying the inevitable. He looked up as a familiar voice drifted through the station. Blanching, he escaped into a file room and stood quietly, listening at the door. _Wait, what am I doing? I am the head detective of the SBPD; I shouldn't be running away! What kind of example am I?_ Despite these thoughts, Carlton made no move to leave the room. He was unsure as to why he was there, actually. Although he certainly didn't want to have to be around Spencer, the psychic—_fake psychic_—he reminded himself, would provide a reasonable distraction from his work. _I hate that I'm so afraid to face him. Well, not afraid, exactly, but…I hate having to pretend all the time. I wish I could just…_ Carlton leaned his forehead against the cold metal of the shelves next to the door. _He is not gay. I need to accept that already. It's obvious that he likes O'Hara. Plus, I'm not gay either. For the love of Mike, I was married to a woman! I would have known if I were gay!_ A nagging voice interrupted his musings. _Then why are you attracted to him? You know you are._ Carlton sighed. _I know. It doesn't make any sense! I've never liked a man before. Then again, I married the only women I ever liked. I never thought that maybe the reason I never dated anyone else was because I was pursuing the wrong gender. It doesn't matter anyway. There's nothing I can do. I can't tell him how I feel. I wouldn't know how to, and working with him after that would be hell. I'll just have to keep up the charade. It's the only way I can keep him from discovering the truth._ His mind made up, Carlton shook his head to clear it, listened at the door for a moment, and strode out of the room once he was certain Spencer was no longer present.

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**11: 10 a.m.**

Shawn left the station, feeling disappointed. He had been unable to find Lassiter, despite his best efforts. Noticing the large piles of papers on the detective's desk, he had questioned a few nearby officers, but none had known where the man might have gone. Finally, Shawn decided to come back around lunchtime to check again. Before leaving, he had asked Jules to stall Lassy until a little after twelve, if necessary, in order to ensure that the man would not leave before Shawn could return.

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**12:01 p.m.**

Juliet glanced up just in time to see Shawn enter the station. She sighed in relief. She had not been looking forward to finding some way to stall Lassiter. The head detective had been sitting at his desk, working diligently for roughly 40 minutes, and he didn't look too happy about it. She watched curiously as Shawn approached the man, carrying two medium-sized brown paper bags.

"Carly! What's up?" The psychic sat down on top of the desk, setting the two bags in front of Lassiter.

Lassiter glanced up at Shawn, his jaw clenching angrily.

_Uh-oh. Bad sign._ Juliet shrank in her chair as she continued to observe the scene before her.

"Spencer…what are you doing? Get your ass off my desk."

Shawn complied, smirking.

"What the hell are these?" Lassiter growled, staring pointedly at the bags.

"Why, lunch of course, Lassy-face! I thought you might be hungry what with having to work so hard and all!"

Lassiter seemed to be struggling with himself. Juliet was sure he was barely keeping himself from wrapping his hands around Shawn's neck and strangling him right then and there. Worried for her friend, she wondered what on earth Shawn had been thinking. _Bringing him lunch? Why would he even both—_Juliet's eyes widened as Lassiter grudgingly pulled one of the bags closer, peering inside. Shawn looked as surprised as she felt at the unexpected response. _That's odd. Wouldn't he normally have…I don't know, thrown the bags away, or shouted at Shawn or something?_

Scowling as he did so, Lassiter motioned to a nearby chair, and proceeded to devour whatever food was in the bag. Shawn paused, and then drew up the chair and started eating from his own bag.

_Did he just…? Did that really just happen? Am I imagining things? _Juliet scrubbed at her eyes furiously. When her vision returned once more, the view had not changed. She frowned and deliberated, trying to figure out what was going on. _This is so weird. Lassiter doesn't seem like himself. I mean, he does, just…not so much. He NEVER tolerates Shawn. He always acts like he hates him. Actually, he really does have an extreme reaction to Shawn whenever he's around. Nothing Shawn does is ever good enough…It's almost like he's trying to hide something behind a mask of dislike and…OH._ She froze for a split second, feeling like she had just figured out something big…something important…something…

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**12:15 p.m.**

Carlton chewed the food quickly, keeping his mouth full in order to avoid having to talk to Shawn. The man sitting across from him was eating silently, but Carlton could feel his gaze upon him every once in a while. Suddenly Carlton turned, sensing Shawn do the same, as a shriek echoed through the station. He was astonished when he realized the source of the sound was O'Hara, who was currently struggling to stand up, having fallen rather awkwardly out of her chair. Her hand covered her mouth in embarrassment as she finally managed get up. Face flushing, she sat back down at her desk, casting a few furtive glances their way under her eyelashes, obviously assuming neither of the men would notice. Carlton shifted uneasily. _Why is she looking at us like that?_ His heart pounded in his chest._ She can't tell can she?_ Abruptly, he realized what he was doing. He was sitting with Shawn eating LUNCH._ Hello? What is wrong with me? Being hungry is no excuse! I should never have accepted the food!_ Panicking, the detective reacted in the most familiar way. Glaring at Shawn, he threw the bag in the trash and stood up. "You've wasted enough of my time Mr. _Psychic_!" He made sure to insert the proper amount of sarcasm into the word, making it clear what he really thought. "Leave NOW! And stop bothering me!" Carlton froze, and almost apologized when he saw the expression in Shawn's—_SPENCER_!—in SPENCER'Seyes. Instead, he clamped his mouth shut, crossed his arms, and forced himself to glower at the other man. Spencer sighed, and, grabbing his bag, walked slowly out of the station. Carlton sat back down, but didn't do anything. After about a minute, he put his head in his hands._ …What am I doing?_

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**12:20 p.m.**

Shawn roared down the road on his motorcycle. _What happened? Everything was going so well—whoa…everything was actually going well! Huh! He was acting like he almost didn't hate me. Then Jules…that was weird, I wonder why she fell off her chair like that? Anyway, then Lassy got this strange look on his face, and all of a sudden he was yelling at me! For a second there, I thought maybe he was going to stop and apologize, but he didn't._ Shawn frowned pensively. Engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't notice the pothole in the road until it was too late. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was the brown paper bag from his lunch with Lassy, falling through the air.

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**Author's note: -cringes away from crazed fans- Heheh. Sorry. That's what happens when you stay up until 2 a.m. working on a story. I'm writing every chance I get. I sure hope I can meet that deadline. The next chapter will probably catch up time wise. Thank you so much for all of the reviews! They give me a reason to write even faster. Ciao:)**

**-g0**


	3. What Now?

**3:59 p.m. (still the day before Thanksgiving)**

Henry watched his son's chest rise and fall as he slept. _Damn bike._ His first impulse was to get rid of the deathtrap, but he knew Shawn would be furious if he did. _What was he thinking?_ The truck driver who called the paramedics had been driving behind Shawn, and had seen everything. The boy had been speeding down the road and hadn't even slowed down as he went right over a pothole. It was a miracle he hadn't had any serious injuries. "Dammit Shawn."

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**4:03 p.m.**

Gus re-entered the hospital room. Mr. Spencer was still there, looking exhausted and irritated. Gus knew Shawn's dad really cared about him, though he would never admit that out loud. "Mr. Spencer?"

Henry turned to face the doorway. "Oh, hello Gus."

"How is he doing?" Gus looked at the young man lying on the sterile hospital bed. "Still asleep I see."

"Yeah. No change so far. He'll be fine." The older man yawned widely.

"Sir? Why don't you get some rest? I'll stay with him for a while."

The former cop nodded wearily in agreement. Standing up, he placed a gentle hand on his son's head for a moment before silently leaving the room.

Gus sighed and sat down in the chair, scooting it closer to the bed. He pulled out a magazine and stared at it blankly. He had been motionless for a while, when he heard a small noise. Shawn started to move, and, slowly, his eyes opened. Gus smiled in relief. "Hey Shawn, how are you feeling?"

"Hey, buddy." Shawn rubbed a hand across his face, and looked at his friend, obviously confused. "Why am I here?"

"You had an accident, remember? You crashed your bike."

Shawn squinted for a moment, and then said, "Oh yeah." Surprising Gus, he began struggling to sit up.

"Shawn! Stop it, you're supposed to be resting!"

"Resting? I feel fine! Well…except maybe a little sore here and there. What time is it?"

Gus checked his watch. "Four twenty. You've been asleep for three or four hours."

"Three or four hours?" Shawn tried to swing his legs around to stand up, but this time Gus was ready. He grabbed Shawn, keeping him from budging.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gus looked at his friend quizzically.

"Dude! I've wasted so much time! I only have until midnight tomorrow, remember?"

"Midnight tom—SHAWN you're still thinking about the BET?"

"Well, duh! Pineapple smoothies and the man of my dreams? Why would a little thing like a motorcycle accident stop me?"

Gus held his breath and counted to ten. "Shawn, the doctors want you to stay overnight, just to make sure you're okay."

"I _am_ okay!" Shawn threw his arms up, and then winced.

"Yeah, sure you are. Listen, you can do whatever you want tomorrow, but I want you to promise me you will stay here tonight, okay?"

Shawn opened his mouth to refuse.

"Shawn!" Gus glared at his friend.

"Fine! You win!" Shawn scowled back at Gus.

Gus relaxed, knowing that Shawn would not break the promise. "Good. I have to go now, but I'll come get you in the morning alright?" He started to head towards the door, but was stopped as Shawn grabbed his arm.

"Hey, uh, Gus?"

Gus looked at Shawn suspiciously. Bad things happened when Shawn used that tone of voice.

"Yes?"

"Uh…who came to visit me?"

"Your dad was here for a while. Jules came by a few times, Buzz and the chief each checked in on you once. And me of course."

Shawn's face fell. "Is that all?"

Gus smothered a grin. "Hmmm, let me think. There maaay have been one other person, but I can't quite recall who…" A ray of hope shone in his friend's eyes. "Let me see…who could it have---?"

"GUS! Just tell me already before I kill you!"

"In your condition? I doubt it." He ducked as Shawn threw a pillow at him. "Okay, okay! I surrender! It was Lassiter! He looked in on you briefly and then left."

Shawn lay back down, a dreamy expression on his face. "Lassy came to see me," he murmured happily.

"That's right, loverboy." Gus chuckled as he departed. "See you in the morning."

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**4:35 p.m.**

Shawn drifted off to sleep, comforted by thoughts of Lassy visiting him.

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**6:15 a.m. (Thanksgiving day)**

Awakening in a dark room, Shawn squinted at the cheap clock hung on the wall across from him. He wasn't surprised that he had woken up so early, since he had fallen asleep yesterday afternoon. It was strange for him, though, since he was used to sleeping in until ten or eleven o'clock every day. His stomach growled loudly, and he realized how hungry he was. Grimacing, he got out of the bed, feeling very stiff. He wandered around the hospital, eventually finding the cafeteria and devouring a large amount of something he believed was food, although it wasn't very edible. _ I don't even want to know._ Returning to his room, he was surprised to find a small bouquet of flowers along with a pineapple sitting on the desk next to the bed. _I wonder where those came from? Huh._ He looked for a card, but there wasn't one._ Oh well! I got a pineapple and flowers! Who cares who brought them?_ He paused. _Unless it was---no he wouldn't…hmmm._ With no way of knowing, Shawn shrugged and turned on the small black and white television, waiting for Gus to arrive.

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**9:00 a.m.**

Shawn fidgeted nervously. He had tried calling Gus several times, but had only succeeded in reaching the machine. _I'm losing precious time! Oh, finally!_ Gus stepped into the room quietly and stopped, apparently surprised to find Shawn awake. "Gus! Where have you been? I've been waiting for _ever_!"

"Shawn, it's nine o'clock. You never get up before ten."

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"Okay, true…but I'm in a hospital. There's nothing to do except sleep and be bored. I conked out right after you left yesterday!" Shawn got up from the bed, trying to put on his shoes and grab all of his stuff at the same time.

Noticing the flowers and his friend's favorite fruit, Gus inquired, "Where did you get those?"

Shawn looked up briefly. "What? Oh…I dunno. When I came back from breakfast they were just there."

"There was no card?"

"Nope."

"Maybe Jules dropped them off."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"But you don't think it was her…"

"Um…"

"You think it was Lassiter. Or at least you hope it was."

Shawn grinned up at his friend. "You know me too well."

"WAY too well, believe me." Gus couldn't help smiling back. Picking up the gifts, he walked out at a leisurely pace, making sure Shawn could keep up.

They were almost to the car when Shawn suddenly stopped in his tracks. Gus kept going for a few steps before realizing that he was no longer being followed. "Shawn? Shawn what is it?"

Still frozen, the young man breathed, "Gus…"

"Yes?" Gus was concerned. _Is he okay? Do we need to go back? Should I---_

"Today is _Thanksgiving_…"

_What planet does he live on?_ Gus rolled his eyes, a common expression around his friend. "Very good, Shawn."

Shawn looked slightly panicked. "No…I mean…_today _is _Thanksgiving_!"

Utterly confused, Gus could think of nothing to say._ Did he suffer some brain damage after all? _His fears were quickly allayed when Shawn continued.

"What if Lassy is planning on going somewhere? That's what people usually do on Thanksgiving, right? Visit family and what not?"

Gus nodded, bemused.

"I have to go to the station! NOW!" Shawn limped quickly towards the car and climbed into the passenger seat.

Gus walked sloooowly to the driver's side.

Shawn glared at him. "Drive peon, DRIVE!"

"Wow, where did you learn that word? In a hurry, are we?" Seeing the green eyes narrow in a mixture of fear and anger, Gus took pity on his friend and started the car, taking off (at the speed limit mind you) in the direction of the SBPD.

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**Author's notes: Hmmm, I hope this chapter is ok. It kinda bothers me, but I've been staring at it for a while, and I couldn't find anything to change, so I just decided to post it. There are going to be at least two more chapters. Hope y'all are still liking the story so far! Thanks again to everyone who has been reviewing! I love you guys:)**

**-g0**

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	4. The Scheme of Things

**9:30 a.m.**

_Shawn likes Lassiter, Lassiter likes Shawn, and neither of them knows how the other feels._ Juliet giggled._ They would be SO cute together!_ She held no hard feelings. She liked Shawn, but she had thought since she first met him that he might be gay, or at least bi. Lassiter, on the other hand…that was a surprise. _I mean, he was married to a woman, so it never crossed my mind that…then again, Shawn dates women all the time, so I don't know how I got that vibe from him, but not Lassiter…speaking of Shawn…_ The psychic was walking rapidly towards her, limping and breathing heavily. He looked distressed.

"Jules! Is Lassy here?"

Juliet smothered a triumphant grin. "Not right now. Actually, I'm not sure where he is."

Shawn turned pale. "He's gone? Is he coming back? When? Is he staying somewhere else for Thanksgiving? Oh man, he is isn't he? I knew it! I knew I should have...if only I'd realized earlier tha---"

Juliet cut him off. "Whoa Shawn, calm down! You know you babble when you're nervous?"

"Oh, yeah, I know. Everyone's always telling me---wait, what makes you think I'm nervous?"

_Oops._ "Uh, I can just tell…I mean, I don't know why you would be nervous, but I can tell you're, um, you know, nervous… about…something. Hehehe--" _Stop talking! Sheesh! How many more feet can I fit in?_ She shut her mouth and pasted a brilliant fake smile on her face, hoping he would buy it. Unfortunately, he didn't.

Shawn stared at her. "You know don't you? That's why you screeched and fell out of your seat when you were looking at us before."

Her cheeks flushing, Juliet made one last attempt to divert him. "Know what?"

He sighed. "I'm psychic, remember?"

_Oh yeah. Drat._

"You figured out that I'm…gay…" He paused, checking her reaction. It didn't even occur to her to pretend to look shocked. Satisfied, Shawn continued, "…and that I…um…kinda like…um…Lassiter."

They stood quietly, gazing at each other intently for a few minutes. Finally, Juliet broke the silence. Looking down at the floor, she blushed again and responded, "Okay, yeah. You're right. I figured it out. Since you know that I know, I just…want to wish you good luck with…whatever this is, and…if you need anything…"

Shawn beamed at the blonde detective. "Thanks Jules!"

She lifted her head and gazed up at him. _He doesn't seem mad…then again, he is Shawn after all…I don't know what I expected, but I guess I should have known he'd react like he always does._ She decided not to reveal her opinion of Lassiter's feelings, just in case she was wrong. _Plus, if he doesn't want Shawn to know, I shouldn't be the one to tell him._

Suddenly, Shawn's face grew serious again. "Listen, uh, I really need to know whether Lassy is actually gone for Thanksgiving."

Juliet was slightly worried. The normally perpetually happy young man seemed a bit out of sorts. "Shawn…why don't you tell me what's going on." It wasn't a question.

Sighing, he nodded, and began to speak. He told her about everything: discovering he was gay, realizing he liked Lassiter, and making a very interesting bet with Gus.

"Wow." Speechless, Juliet sat immersed in her thoughts. Finally she spoke up. "Okay, I'm in. How can I help?"

Shawn smiled. "Well, first I need to know if Lassy is really gone for Thanksgiving."

"I don't think he is. He didn't say anything to me about leaving. I think he would have if he were."

"Sweet!" Shawn lightened up considerably.

Juliet felt relieved. She was much more comfortable around her friend when he was in his usual state of… _chipperness…? Is that a word? If not, I think Shawn has definitely made it into a word._ "I don't think he has any family around here, and he doesn't really have any friends - just acquaintances - and they're all cops. He's probably going to come to the station for Thanksgiving."

"The station?" Shawn looked puzzled.

"Oh, yeah…didn't you know? Every Thanksgiving the station has a potluck dinner, for all the officers who choose to stay here over the holiday."

Green eyes sparkled, causing her to catch her breath. She almost wished he weren't gay, so he could be with her. Almost.

"That's BRILLIANT!" Shawn clapped his hands together excitedly. "Jules, that is just PERFECT! He's got to come here! He will! I know it! When does it start?"

"Three o'clock, and it lasts for a while, I don't know exactly how long."

"Okay…I've got an idea…" Shawn leaned in and started whispering in Juliet's ear.

By 10:30, they had come up with a decent plan. Grinning like children with freshly baked cookies, they separated - Juliet to find Lassiter, and Shawn to his kitchen to prepare a dish for the potluck. The blonde turned to watch Shawn leave, still smiling uncontrollably. _This is going to be FUN._

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**Author's notes: Okay, so…this chapter was originally going to cover the potluck too, but I'm not going to be able to finish tonight, so I figured I'd give y'all this part as a chapter, instead of nothing. I could have rushed to finish by midnight, but I want the story to actually be good. Sorry :( I'll finish tomorrow. Probably two more chapters. I dunno. Once again, thanks for reviewing:)**

**-g0**

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	5. Preparations

**11:02 a.m. (Thanksgiving day)**

Shawn looked at the recipe in his hand, and then at the pineapple in his other hand. _Uh…now what?_ He picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Hey Gus! Quick! Tell me how to make a pineapple upside-down cake!"

The voice on the other end of the line sounded slightly irritated. "I'm at work Shawn. What are you talking about?"

"You're at work? Dude, it's Thanksgiving!"

"Yes, I think we've covered that already."

"Ha ha…now come over here and help me with this."

"I need to work today to make up for all the time I've had to miss."

"What? Why have you been missing time, Gus? That's not very responsible of you!" Shawn bit his lip to keep himself from laughing._ I love provoking him._

"Shawn! You know why!"

The fake-psychic made his voice sound puzzled. "Nah, man, I don't. How would I know?"

There was no answer.

"Gus? Gus?" _He's probably trying to think of a good comeback._ "Gu---us? I know you're still there. Come on, I need you! Pleeeeease?" Shawn was starting to get worried, but his friend's voice finally answered back.

"Fine, Shawn. Whatever. I'll be over in 10 minutes."

The phone clicked. Shawn stared at it for a moment, and then shrugged, setting it down.

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**11:15 a.m.**

"Gus! You're here!" Shawn bounced over to greet his friend at the door.

Looking slightly peeved, Gus questioned Shawn. "Okay, what's going on? Why do you need to make a cake? And how do you have so much energy? Did you fake that accident yesterday?"

Ignoring half of what Gus said, Shawn spoke quickly:

"Well…whenIgottothestationItalkedtoJulesandshesaidshethoughtLassywouldbethereforThanksgivingbecausethestationhasapotluckdinnereveryyearandItoldhereverythingandshe'sgoingtohelpmeget - whew! - LassysoIneedtomakesomethingtobringtothepotlucksoIhaveareasontobethere!" Shawn gasped for breath, and then sashayed back into the kitchen, singing "Pineapples, pineapples, pineapples!"

Gus followed, sighing. "You know you babble when you're nervous?"

"Ha! That's what Jules said, too!"

"Jules?"

"Yeah, didn't you hear anything I just said?"

"Hearing isn't necessarily understanding, Shawn."

"Alright. When…I…got…to…the…station…I…"

"Shawn!" Gus started to turn purple. "Just TELL me already!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh! Some people are so picky!"

Once they were caught up, the two friends proceeded to make the cake. Or rather, Gus made the cake while Shawn watched over his shoulder and got in his way as much as possible.

---------------

**12:04 p.m.**

Shawn sat in his comfiest chair, playing video games and pouting._ Just because I'm not good at cooking! Pshh. It's not like I MEANT to spill the eggs on Gus's head!_

---------------

**12:35 p.m.**

Bzzzzzzt! The buzzer rang, signaling that the cake was done. Shawn jumped up to get it.

"NO Shawn!" Gus glared at him menacingly. "Back away from the kitchen!"

Grumpily, he sat down again, muttering, "Dude, get over it. At least you don't have hair. It's not like it did any damage."

"I heard that!"

Ignoring the retort, Shawn returned his attention to the game he was playing.

Minutes later, Gus flopped down in the chair next to Shawn's, seeming quite happy since the cake was finished and in the fridge, hidden from Shawn's sight.

Gus had joined him in front of the TV, and they had been competing playfully for a while, when Shawn realized he had just won five games in a row. "Uh…Gus?" He looked at his friend carefully. "Are you okay? You seem a little…I don't know…quiet…or…um…something."

Staring back at Shawn, Gus asked, baffled, "Did you really go to college?"

Shawn raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind, Shawn." Gus rolled his eyes. "I'm fine."

_Did I miss something? I feel like I was just insulted… _"Are you making fun of the way I talk?"

"Never." His friend replied convincingly, but not enough to fool him.

"You are aren't you? I can tell because---hey! Nice try! Stop changing the subject! What's going on?"

Gus's leg was jiggling uncontrollably, like he was…_nervous? Why would Gus be nervous?_

"Gus?"

The man threw his hands into the air in defeat. "Look, I'm just wondering how you're so CALM? I mean, you're going to go see Lassiter in the station and you have NO idea how he's going to react to you! For all you know, he could have us thrown out of Santa Barbara! Plus, he's not gay! He's going to reject you and you're going to get hurt! You know I care about you…I'm just worried for you, okay?"

Shawn stared at his best friend, stunned. After a second's hesitation, he leapt up and gave Gus a hug. "Thanks Gus! I'll be fine; don't worry so much! There's nothing I can do until I get there, so there's no point in getting nervous yet. Why get upset before anything has even happened? It's better to have hope than to give up before I've even started!"

Gus smiled. "Man, you are such a hopeless optimist!"

"Nothing wrong with that."

"I guess not."

---------------

**2: 45 p.m.**

Holding the pineapple upside-down cake to keep it away from Shawn, Gus walked out to the car. "Are you coming?" he asked, turning back to face the apartment.

"Yeah!" Shawn rushed out of the house, shoving something in one of his pockets.

"What's that?" Gus asked, curious.

"Nothing," Shawn answered innocently. Getting in the car, he turned on the radio and peered out the window, ignoring Gus's suspicious look.

"Whatever, Shawn."

---------------

**2:57 p.m.**

Gus parked the car and got out, grabbing the cake. He glanced at Shawn, who was looking excited, but slightly pale. "You okay?"

Shawn took a deep breath. "Uh-huh. Let's go."

The two friends walked up the stairs and entered the station.

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**Author's notes: The End. LOL just kidding! Don't kill me:P So, yeah…I keep adding more chapters, so I'm not even going to pretend to know how many are left this time. This chapter was a filler to lead up to the next one. I wasn't really sure what was going to happen between the previous chapter and the potluck. Hope this works:)**

**-g0**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**


	6. Pot  luck

**4:16 p.m. (Thanksgiving day)**

Shawn glanced at his watch uneasily. It had been over an hour since he had arrived, and there was still no sign of Lassy. Gus and Jules were helping him keep watch. The potluck was going well; there were actually a lot of people present in the station. Quite a few had complimented the fake-psychic on the cake. Distracted, he hadn't bothered to correct them. Gus glared at him every time he accepted a compliment, and quickly corrected the person giving it. Shawn was about to go check with Jules again, when he finally spotted the head detective on the other side of the room. "Hey Lassy!" he yelled, waving his arms wildly. "Come try some of this awesome pineapple upside-down cake that I made!" He peeked at Gus, expecting him to say something, as usual, but his friend merely winked, and walked off to talk to Jules. Shawn grinned happily, and looked back at Lassiter. The man was sidling away, obviously trying to escape. _Oh no you don't! I'm not letting you out of my sight!_ Shawn weaved through the crowd and popped up right next to him, making him jump.

"Spencer! Don't DO that!"

-------------

Carlton stared angrily at the young man who stood smirking in front of him. _What is it with him? Why does he have to torture me like this?_

"What's wrong, Lassy-face? Did I startle you?"

Carlton scoffed. "Of course not! Don't give yourself so much credit, Spen---" he sucked in his breath as a warm hand enveloped his own, tugging him along. He wanted to squeeze back, but he resisted, letting his hand hang limp instead. He half-heartedly pretended to try and pull away, but Shawn simply strengthened his grip and continued to drag him to the dessert table. They arrived in front of the cake, but Shawn didn't let go. Carlton groaned, "Spen--mmph!" This time, he was silenced by the piece of _delicious_ cake that Shawn suddenly shoved into his mouth. He chewed angrily, annoyed that the pineapple dessert was too good to spit out. As the young man beamed at him cheekily, Carlton finally managed to jerk his hand away. He wiped it across his mouth, giving Shawn the benefit of his fiercest glare, the one that made criminals fall to their knees, whimpering in fear._ Well, maybe not, but I wish it did._

If anything, Shawn's smile only grew wider. "Well? What do you think?"

"I think you're annoying as all hell, and you had better leave me alone." Carlton ignored the fact that Shawn had obviously been referring to the cake. He stalked off, not bothering to look back. When the man didn't follow him, Carlton sighed in relief and grabbed a beer. He didn't normally drink, but he was off duty at the moment, and being around Shawn always made him feel the need for something stronger than a soda.

---------------

**4:30 p.m.**

Juliet and Gus sat on her desk together, watching the antics of the two men. Juliet had giggled when Shawn grabbed Lassiter's hand. Gus had chuckled at Lassiter's expression when the cake was shoved into his mouth. When the detective broke away from Shawn, they sat quietly, wondering what would happen next.

---------------

**5:37 p.m.**

Shawn had given Lassiter his distance, allowing him to forget about the younger man. He figured then was as good a time as any. Temporarily removing his gaze from Lassiter, Shawn caught Juliet's eye and nodded. Nodding back, she grinned and poked Gus, who was standing next to her by one of the tables of food. Glancing at Shawn, Gus nodded as well, giving him a thumbs-up and mouthing "Good luck!" Shawn smiled. _I'm so lucky to have them as friends._ He returned the thumbs-up, and watched as Juliet approached the head detective.

---------------

Carlton noticed O'Hara drawing near to him, and ended the conversation he had been having with one of the older officers.

"Detective Lassiter, I was wondering if I could have a word with you, privately?"

He nodded, perplexed. _She sounds serious. I wonder what this is about?_ Following her down the hallway, he was surprised when she led him into a file room. "What's going on, O'Hara?"

The blonde woman blinked, the ghost of a smile passing over her face before disappearing, leaving him to wonder whether he hadn't just imagined it after all.

"Actually, sir…could I ask you to wait here for a minute? I just forgot something. I'll be right back." She hurried out of the room.

_Well, this is strange… what--?_ Carlton froze as Shawn entered the room. _Damn._ If he didn't know better, he would think this was some sort of a trap._ But O'Hara would never…would she?_

"Why, Lassy! Imagine seeing you here!" Shawn grinned.

Carlton managed to growl, "We're in a file room, Spencer." _In fact, I think it's the one I used to hide from you before. Oh the irony…_

"Huh…so we are! How odd!"

"What are you doing in here? Are you and detective O'Hara in cahoots?"

"Jules? Oh, I just asked her to help me lure you in here so I could get you alone."

The older man turned slightly pale. _I'm afraid to ask._ "Wh—why would you want to do that?"

"I was hoping you would ask!" Shawn pulled something red and round out of his pocket and put it in the detective's hand, forcing his fingers around it so he wouldn't drop it. He stepped nearer, too close for comfort, and whispered in Carlton's ear, "Because, Lassy, you're the apple of my eye."

Before Carlton had time to react, Shawn leaned forward and gently placed his lips on the other man's. After a second, Carlton's numbed brain woke up, alerting him to the fact that Shawn Spencer was, in fact, kissing him. _WHAAAT???_

He shoved Shawn away, nearly sending him crashing into a shelf. Mixed emotions and thoughts tumbled through his mind haphazardly. _He kissed me! Is he gay? Well, obviously, he must be! Unless this is some kind of joke? I just got kissed by a man! Does he really like me? Why did I push him off? I thought this was what I wanted? Maybe not exactly, but I did want him to like me! Am I gay? I didn't hate that. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it. What am I saying? This is Spencer I'm talking about! Spencer! You know… annoying, young, brown hair, pretending to be psychic, green eyes, always driving me crazy, cute…AUGH! …SO…CONFUSED…!_

Carlton suddenly realized Shawn was still there, staring at him intently, eyes shimmering with hope and uncertainty.

The tall Irishman stammered softly, "Uh…I don't…I mean, why did…uh…you…uh…I…have to…um...go." He turned hurriedly towards the door and rushed out, feeling Shawn's piercing gaze on his back.

--------------

**6:07 p.m.**

Shawn slid down against the shelf behind him, landing on the floor with a plop! _That's not really how I expected it to go. I thought it would be one way or the other, but…it was kind of in between. He pushed me off of him, but he didn't yell or punch me, or anything. It's like he was more surprised than upset. Maybe I still have a chance?_ He perked up at the thought._ Maybe he just needs some more convincing._ Shawn looked at his watch, "I still have almost six hours." Grinning hopefully, he got up and left the room. _Gus is not going to believe this._

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**Author's notes: Bwahaha! Boy, was that fun to write! This little fic is turning out to be quite long. It was originally going to be only 3 chapters, and done in 2 days! Sorry it's taking so long, but I hope y'all don't mind too much. I think it's much better this way than it would have been if I had tried to cram it. We're getting closer to the finish line! Many thanks to all of you who have stuck with it!**

**-g0**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------**


	7. Waiting

**6:15 p.m. (Thanksgiving day)**

Carlton sighed in relief as he watched Shawn leave the station. _I need something to do._ He still had some papers left to fill out from the previous case. Many people had already left, and the party was dying down. The head detective sat at his desk and set to work, the dull chatter of the remaining officers fading into the background. After a while, he realized he had been reading the same line over and over for the past ten minutes. _Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't thi---_

"Um…Detective Lassiter?"

_O'Hara. Great. If I just ignore her, will she go away?_ He sat silently, not answering.

She didn't go away. He could sense her still standing there, shifting awkwardly.

_Fine. Let's just get this over with._ "Yes?" He didn't look at her. When there was no response, he sighed and glanced up, repeating himself. "Yes?"

Her eyes were wide with concern. "…Are you alright, sir? I-I'm sorry about…before."

_But you're not. Not really._ "Forget it, O'Hara. It doesn't matter, and I don't want to talk about it." _Don't I?_

"Actually..." She stammered hesitantly. "I was wondering…well…before…when you and Shawn were eating lunch…I got the impression that…maybe you would be okay with...uh…you know..." She blushed. "I mean…I found out that Shawn was…gay…and…that he…uh…liked you, and…I thought that maybe you wouldn't mind if I helped him."

Carlton's heart leapt at her words. _He IS gay? He LIKES me? He really likes ME? What…_

"Was I wrong, sir? Because if I was, I won't help Shawn anymore, or interfere, or…just…I need to know if I was wrong."

Carlton smiled at her wearily. She looked surprised.

"No…" _What the hell am I saying?_ "No, you weren't wrong."

O'Hara beamed at him. "Oh, that's wonderful, sir! I'm so happy to---"

He interrupted her, pleading, "Don't tell anyone, though…especially not Shawn, okay? Please? I…I'm really not sure of my own feelings at the moment, and…I just need some time to think about it."

"Of course, sir!"

Carlton looked at the blonde suspiciously.

"I promise! I won't tell!"

He nodded, turning back to the papers on his desk.

---------------

**6:30 p.m.**

Back in the Psych office, Shawn hung up the phone and looked at Gus, grinning. Gus shrank back uneasily.

"Shawn, why are you looking at me like that? You know it gives me the willies."

"Hehehe…"

"Seriously, Shawn!"

Rubbing his hands together excitedly, Shawn told his friend what he had just heard. "Jules says I should wait a little while before going back over, because Lassy might need some space. Apparently, he's working busily, and you know what that means…"

"No, I don't. And why are you so happy?"

This time, Shawn was the one to roll his eyes. In a very condescending tone, he replied, "Well, Gus, it means that he's trying to distract himself from something…and what do you think he could possibly need a distraction from?"

Gus glared at the other man, who was currently sitting on top of Gus's desk. "I'm not five, Shawn! I just don't see why this is a _good_ thing. Isn't it a _bad_ sign if he's trying to distract himself from thinking about…what happened between you and him?"

"What, you mean me cornering him in a file room and _kissing_ him?" Shawn grinned evilly at the look on Gus's face.

"Shawn!"

"Okay, okay! Listen, if Lassy needs a distraction, it means I actually got to him. If he had punched me out when I kissed him…that would have been a bad sign. This? Not so much. I don't mind waiting a little while for him to catch his breath, but not too long. I still have a bet to win, remember?"

"Humph. I was hoping you would have forgotten by now, what with that tiny attention span of yours."

Shawn shrugged. "Nah. This is one thing I plan to go through with."

Gus glanced at his friend, and said softly, "You're really serious about this whole Lassiter thing, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Shawn nodded. "Yeah, I am." He smirked pretentiously. "But don't worry, buddy…you'll always be my number one. No need to get jealous."

Gus choked momentarily, and then jumped at Shawn, scowling.

Shawn squealed, and leapt off of Gus's desk.

The two men ran around the desk for a few minutes, and then collapsed onto the couch.

"So…" Shawn questioned, "What now?"

---------------

**7:34 p.m.**

The station was nearly empty, save for a few janitors who ambled about, wiping down the floor and cleaning out the bathrooms.

Lassiter rubbed his eyes drowsily. He had finally managed to complete most of the necessary work. Suddenly, he felt someone's hands on his shoulders. He froze - not because he didn't know who it was, but because he knew only too well who it was. He stood up abruptly. Unfortunately, his chair blocked his escape route, and doing so only brought him even closer to the person behind him. The hands gripped his shoulders and spun him around slowly. He couldn't resist. Bright green eyes met his wide blue ones.

--------------

Shawn gingerly wrapped his arms around the other man's neck. Hoarsely, he whispered, "Are you going to push me away again?"

Lassiter opened his mouth, and then clamped it shut. There was a moment of silence as neither man made a move or a sound. Then, slowly, Lassiter shook his head.

As comprehension dawned, Shawn smiled. _I know he's not going to go first, but…it's a start._ The younger man stepped closer to Lassiter, pressing up against him. Pulling down slightly with his arms, Shawn slanted his head up and kissed Lassiter tenderly. Although the detective did nothing to deepen the kiss, he made no attempt to flee. Shawn pulled back slightly and looked at Lassiter carefully. Unreadable blue eyes stared back at him. Shawn sighed. _That's the best I can do. Now it's up to him._ He stepped back completely, removing his arms from Lassiter's neck. Disappointed at the lack of response from the other man, he turned to leave, saying, "Call me."

As Shawn walked forward, he was prevented from doing so by the hand that grabbed his wrist.

"Wait…"

He looked back at the detective, hopefully.

Lassiter took his hand away, looking confused. "I…I'm sorry. I don't…I…"

Shawn reached out and ruffled Lassiter's hair. "I love you, okay? If you don't feel the same way about me, it's alright, I'll survive. But…if you do…" He smiled genuinely. "Just…call me. I'll be waiting." Putting his hands in his pockets, Shawn exited the station, leaving the detective alone with his thoughts.

--------------

Carlton watched Shawn go, slightly bewildered. _I…why did…uh…_ He touched his fingers to his lips, thinking about what had just happened. He felt like he had been dreaming; it was all so unreal. It had been nothing like this with his ex-wife. _Why did I waste all that time trying to save the marriage? If I'd known I could feel like this…_ He reached down and pulled open a drawer, taking out the apple he had placed there earlier. _The apple of his eye? So he was serious…_ Shawn's words echoed in his head. _"I love you, okay? If you don't feel the same way about me, it's alright, I'll survive. But…if you do… Just…call me. I'll be waiting._ Carlton sat down and put his head in his hands as the words continued to swirl around in his thoughts. _I love you…if you do…I'll be waiting…love you…waiting…_

--------------

**8:45 p.m.**

Shawn sat in his apartment, playing video games. He sighed as his character died for the sixteenth time in a row. Throwing the controller aside and turning off the TV, he glanced at his watch. He hadn't heard from Lassiter; it had been over an hour since he had left the station, but he wasn't too worried. _After all, this is new to him, too._ Shawn lay down quietly for a while, stretching out on the couch, and staring at his phone. Suddenly, it rang loudly, breaking the silence, and making him jump. He lunged forward to grab it, accidentally knocking it off of the couch in the process.

"Aack!"

Tripping over the controller, Shawn tumbled off the couch, nearly crushing the phone beneath him. Grabbing it on the last ring, he flipped it open and gasped out, "He-hello?"

"Good evening, sir. Would you be interested in buying a---"

"GO AWAY!" Shawn interrupted, screaming into the phone. He shut it quickly, panting. He paused. _Wait a…_

------------

Juliet giggled hysterically, as Gus doubled up, laughing. Tears ran down his cheeks as he hung up his phone. "Did—did you h-hear him?"

"Of course! I'm sure your neighbors did, too!" Juliet gasped out. "He sounds a little nervous…"

Gus snorted. "Just a little…"

"You know he's going to kill you." Juliet looked at Gus, still smiling merrily.

Chuckling, Gus responded, "I know, but it was worth it."

------------

Shawn sulked moodily. _Gus dies tomorrow._ He had been tempted to call back, but, as he was sure Gus knew, he was too worried about missing a call from Lassy to risk it. Instead, he sat on the couch, plotting revenge.

----------------

**10:00 p.m.**

The watch beeped, startling Shawn awake. "Hmm?" _Oh no! What if I missed his call?_ He quickly opened his phone and checked his voicemail.

-No new messages-

He sighed in relief, and then realized it was ten o'clock and Lassy still hadn't called. Nervous, Shawn debated with himself. _Should I call him? It's been awhile. He's had time to think about it. Maybe he isn't going to---no! I can't give up yet! I told him I'd be waiting. It's still kind of early…_

----------------

**10:50 p.m.**

"Hi, you've reached Carlton Lassiter. I'm not here right now. Leave a message."

-Beep-

Shawn hung up the phone. He had tried calling Lassiter at the station, his house, and on his cell phone. _Where is he? I hope he's okay…_

---------------

**11:01 p.m.**

"The weather tomorrow is---"

-Click-

"…Members of an elite squad known as the—"

-Click-

"Crikey! Wouldja just look at the size of that…"

-Click-

Shawn's mouth twitched. There was something seriously wrong with him when he wasn't even amused by reruns of Steve Irwin chasing down crocs in a muddy river somewhere.

-Click-

-Click-

-Click-

----------------

**11:25 p.m.**

Shawn put his head in his hands. _Can't…sleep. Can't…do…anything…_ He yawned._ If he doesn't call by twelve, I'm going to bed. Whatever. It's not like it really matters to me whether he calls or not…I'm just trying to win a bet after all… Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I care. Dammit._

-----------------

**11:56 p.m.**

-Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock-

_Come on, come on, come on, come…_

Shawn jumped, startled. _Was that thunder?_ "Oh…" Someone was knocking on his door. _Oh my GOSH…_

He walked slowly to the door, and opened it.

Lassiter stood on Shawn's doormat.

Shawn stared at Lassiter. Lassiter stared at Shawn.

"Uh…"

Baffled, Shawn opened the door wider, and stepped back silently.

The detective, still dressed in his suit, but devoid of his usual shoulder holster and gun, hesitated slightly, and then entered the apartment.

Closing the door, Shawn turned to face the other man, who was busy examining the grains of the carpet.

Lassiter scuffed his shoe on the floor. "Uh…listen Spen—Shawn. I-I'm sorry to come over this late. I can go if you—" He stopped talking as Shawn seized his hand.

Shawn bit his lip to keep himself from grinning. _Is he blushing?_ "It's no problem, Lassy. No problem at all."

Finally meeting Shawn's eyes, Lassiter's cheeks flushed visibly. "Did…did you mean what you said before? About…everything?"

Shawn smiled, and answered simply, "Yes."

Lassiter smiled back.

Shawn's breath caught in his throat. _He's SMILING! Really SMILING! And he's smiling at ME!_

A watch beeped. _Oh man! It's twel---_

"Well, then…" Lassiter reached out with the hand that wasn't being held, and placed it under Shawn's chin. Forcing the younger man's head to tilt upward, Lassiter leaned down.

Shawn closed his eyes, and Lassiter kissed him on the lips.

Putting a hand to the other man's head, Shawn weaved his fingers through the short dark hair. Lassiter backed Shawn up to the wall, pressing him against it. Letting go of each other's hands, they found better places to hold onto, pulling themselves even closer together. They paused to take a breath, and then quickly resumed their positions. Lassiter's lips returned to meet the other man's. Shawn opened his mouth invitingly. Lassiter faltered momentarily before gently sticking his tongue in. The kissing got more passionate. Finally, losing control of his muscles, Shawn collapsed into Lassiter's arms, sighing happily. They stood there for a while, hugging each other contentedly. Unexpectedly, Lassiter swept Shawn off his feet and carried him to the couch. He sat down with the other man in his lap. Shawn rested his head against Lassiter's chest. Leaning back against the cushions, Lassiter wrapped his arms under Shawn's, holding him tightly. Minutes ticked by in silence. Feeling himself begin to doze off, Shawn mumbled, "I guess I lose the bet."

"Hmmm?" Lassiter sounded just as sleepy.

"The bet. The bet I made with Gus. You didn't kiss me before midnight." Shawn grinned. "It doesn't matter. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but…I think I've found something even better than a free pineapple smoothie."

"What's that?" Lassiter murmured.

"You."

Lassiter squeezed Shawn, laughing softly. "This is going to be the strangest relationship I have ever had."

Shawn smiled drowsily in response. _Relationship…_

Within minutes, all was quiet again, as the two newfound lovers fell asleep in each other's arms.

THE END

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**Author's notes: Wheeeee! -grins- So…what did y'all think? Sorry for not posting in so long. –points at chapter- I hope this makes up for it. :) I think I'm gonna have to write a sequel to this at some point. It was just SO much fun to write! Do y'all want more? Anyway, THANK YOU to all my regular reviewers (you know who you are) and everyone else who took the time to comment:)**

**-g0**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------**


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